


in between storms

by raveness_ov



Series: family of destiny [3]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-14
Updated: 2019-03-14
Packaged: 2019-11-17 19:50:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18105290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raveness_ov/pseuds/raveness_ov
Summary: Hope you all enjoy the finale to the Family of Destiny series. Sorry, I'm posting this so late, I had to make a few last minute changes, but I hope you guys like the story all the same. Also, hope everyone has a good Spring Break.Translation for Yen's spell: be whole once more bones that are broken, heal to be whole. (it made sense at the time,)





	in between storms

The life of a witcher was supposed to be exceptionally hard, especially to those who couldn’t handle the duties that came with being one. But for the young ashen-haired girl becoming a witcher was like second nature. She had spent but sixteen months training and studying by the hands of the remaining witchers at the school of the wolf; Geralt, Vesemir, Eskel, and Lambert. Sixteen months was nothing compared to what young witchers were put through, especially with the mutations and trials. And although she never asked for it, Ciri had embraced its lifestyle and all that came with it.

The monster in front of her for instance, it was gruesome, pungent, not something that one would see or even want to see every day. It had been twice her size and four times her weight, it’s teeth were exposed and jagged, and its skin was a pale, sickly color. The two had been going at each other for some time, ever since she had awoken it from its blood-fueled nap. The ogre was taken by surprise at first, but once it had realized it was a small, thin woman attacking instead of a brawny man, it had probably thought it had the upper hand. However, the she-witcher had proved more trouble than what had met the eye.

She had attacked from multiple angles, using her gift of teleportation, hoping to tire the beast out and her plan worked. Although not before being slammed with its hand and thrown across the beast’s cave. Before she could react, she had felt a crushing pain from her chest and cheek. The witcheress has tumbled to the ground with a thud, and as she lay there for a moment she could hear her father's voice urging her to get up and fight. In that same second, she had felt electricity running through her bones and then she was behind the beast in midair. Her sword was raised above her head as the monster searched for her in confusion.

The next few seconds were a blur, her sword had entered its back, there was a thunderous roar that seemed to shake her and the cave around them, and then they fell forward, and while Ciri had been fine from the landing her body still ached from being thrown. She had tried picking herself up from the ogre’s back but her limbs had failed her and eventually the world around her slowly faded into darkness. Footsteps had echoed from the cave, nearing the dead beast and the unconscious girl. The young elven man had his sword in his hands as he cautiously entered the lair of the monster that had been attacking his small village.

Behind him even more footsteps had followed, two older men with swords just like the boy had joined him. They had been looking for the girl once they had heard the bellow from the cavern. The boy had dropped his weapon once he had taken in the sight. The other two didn’t, they were more afraid that the ogre had been pretending. Despite the pleas they had made to their younger brother to be more careful he ignored them. And once it was clear that there was no danger, they helped him pick up the girl and her sword. “We need to take her back to the sorceress, she’ll know what to do.”  


* * *

The witcheress had woken up not with her eyes but her ears, once she had realized that she had been asleep she had assumed that she was still a prisoner of the ogre, who she had no memory of killing. There had been a loud snore to the right of her, she had guessed the beast had been asleep, and if she could she would attack that instant. But she needed her sword. Ciri had tried to do something simple, turn over as slowly as she could as to not wake the monster. Instead, she found that her ribs had ached and prevented her from moving the way she wanted.

This had stirred the being next to her and she had grown stiff and her body had twitched out of her control, which she was sure would wake the creature. The harder she had tried to stop the more her body had resisted which only resulted in her muscles feeling as though they were burning. In seconds it was not just her muscles, but her entire being had felt as if she were thrown in a literal fire pit.

“Ciri, Ciri wake up!” Yennefer spoke, her voice full of concern. She didn’t open her eyes at least not until she felt the sorceress’s smooth, cool hand on her exposed shoulder did finally look. The woman’s raven hair had covered parts of her face, but between the burning candlelight and the luminous glow from the moon, she could make out the faint impressions along her face, presumably from the pillow. She had been covered in a dark nightgown, which the girl had been thankful for, knowing full well how the sorceress had like the view of her own skin. Yennefer’s brows had been knitted together in worry as her violet eyes instantly examined her body.

“Mama?” The words came out as a croak, “I feel hot.”

“As you should, you’ve been running a fever for an hour or so and I believe there may have been more internal injuries than the bruises on your skin had suggested.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well after I had healed you I realized that your ribs had looked weird. But by then I was too tired to continue any further examination, I also needed you conscious during the procedure. So I had to wait until you were awake before I could do anything else. Honestly, I thought you’d be asleep longer.”

“So you can’t see what’s wrong?”

“Of course I can, I just- ” Yennefer had covered her mouth as she yawned. “Give me a moment I’m still a bit disorientated. Try not to squirm too much, it’ll be harder for me if your ribs move.”

The sorceress had taken only a few moments to gather herself before she had been ready. She had helped Ciri to lie down properly and scanned her body with her hands and magic. Yennefer’s face never changed, a look of concentration and worry had stayed throughout the whole examination. Once she had been done, she had taken a long sigh, then took her hands from the girl’s exposed abdomen and put it against her own cheek.

“You have... not one but two broken ribs, and a third is cracked.” Yennefer had stopped herself and took another deep breath. “I thought you promised you’d be careful.”

“And I was, it was the ogre’s fault for my three- no two broken and cracked ribs .” The young ashen-haired woman teased, although Yennefer didn’t find it funny. “And maybe a bruised back?” The witcheress had laughed lightly which had been followed by a sharp jolt of pain that had shot out from her chest, causing her to groan out loud.

“Don’t do that!” Yennefer had said in a high agitated voice and proceeded to place a hand on the girl's stomach, steadying her body and stopping it from making any more unnecessary movements. “I have yet to heal you and if you keep moving I won’t be able to.”

“Okay, I’ll stay still.” Ciri had promised, closing her eyes, trying to make her broken bones seem as if it were but a small fracture. If she had believed anything else she wouldn’t be able to lie there so still, she would instead have vivid flashes of memory about events that would often find their way into her dreams during some lonely nights.

“ _Bi slàn a-rithist aon cnàmhan a tha briste, slànachadh a bhith slàn_ ” Ciri had heard the sorceress mutter and then felt as though electricity had been tickling her. As instructed, she had kept her body still, even though she had felt the need to move out of a child-like behavior. She had peeked only once, to see Yen’s face, her eyebrows were scrunched together in concentration as all sorts of blue and cerulean lights emerged from her hands. The young ashen-haired woman had shut her eyes after that, keeping the image of the raven-haired sorceress in her mind to reassure herself that she was going to be fine because her mother had been tending to her.

The procedure took a half hour, Yennefer had been repeating the words nonstop until each breath had become less and less painful, Ciri could literally feel the discomfort from her body disappear into thin air. The two women seemed to sigh in relief at the same time once it was over, both for different reasons. When Yennefer was done she had stood up straight, walked over to the other side of the large bed and slumped down with a loud, exhausted moan.

“I need a drink.” Yennefer said slowly and promptly as if she hadn’t expected that what she had done to take so much out of her, and for her to be so exhausted.

“Me too,” Ciri replied as she touched her ribs with delicacy. She wasn’t surprised there wasn’t any pain, and she was sure that if she looked there would be little to no bruising left on her skin. She had always trusted Yen and her magic. “I knew you could do it, never doubted you, not for a second.”

“I know.” Yennefer said as she smiled.

The two had lain in silence for a while, both comforted by each others breathing. After a bit of time went by, the witcheress had the urge to turn over to her side and curl up next to the woman beside her as she had often done when she was younger. But she doubted that Yennefer would approve of that, especially now at her age.

“You can’t turn on your side, at least not at the moment. I’m sure I healed you properly but I don’t want you turning before I could truly tell.” Yennefer had replied to the girl’s thoughts. She didn’t mind it. But asked anyways.

“Are you reading my mind?”

“Yes, should I stop?” Yennefer had already known the answer to that, Ciri had declined and then turned her head to face her. She had asked if it was okay if they could at least hold hands, and without answering the sorceress had slid her cool hand into the girl’s soft and warm palm and fingers. Cirilla didn’t need to explain to her why this was what she had wanted and Yennefer didn’t ask. That night her dreams were filled with her hopes for the coming future, of Yen and Geralt and her, all laughing by a candlelit dinner as they told stories to each other. She had hoped that she could have that happen, that going to Toussaint would change everything.  


* * *

It had been two weeks before the two women had reached the fairytale lands of Toussaint. Before then, it had been years since Ciri had last been in that part of the continent, the last time however she didn’t get the chance to truly explore like she had hoped to do in the next coming days, she had also hoped that if Dandelion were here, that he wouldn’t be on the verge of an execution.

On the road, she had time to think, even asking Yen not to read her mind when she was. There were things she had wanted to keep from her, like the real reason why she was going to Geralt’s home or how she knew Yennefer would accompany her on her journey. Or how she had known Geralt had wanted something more than to know if she was well or that Yennefer had been using her as a replacement for the witcher. She had been with them for so long and had known both of them enough to know what they were truly trying skirt around.

The first place that hadn’t been a large patch of forests or a private residence, had been a hostel by a bridge that hung over a river. They would stop their mares, Yennefer had offered to find directions, while Ciri had made sure no one took their horses or the items in their saddlebags. The witcheress had studied the sign that was hung above them. She had been reminded of how she had fought a beast similar to it when she first started her walk on the Path. A few minutes later Yennefer returned and they were off in the direction of Corvo Bianco, which surprisingly wasn’t that far from where they were.

Corvo Bianco was a large, well-kept piece of land, at least Ciri had thought so. The entrance and even the courtyards were surrounded by all sorts of plants that seemed to complete the look of the large Earthy estate, and as she looked around she couldn’t help but think how nice it would be to find a spot where she could call her own. Somewhere close they could hear the sound of metal being scraped against something rough. Ciri had been the first off her horse, she had heard that sound so many times as a child that even after all these years she could still recognize it.

“Geralt!” She called out, and almost immediately the noise had stopped to which footsteps had followed.

She ran up the stone pathway and then he was there. The man she had come to know as her father, Geralt of Rivia. His white hair had been cut since she had last seen him, yet his beard had been the same, and so had his scarred visage. A grin had appeared on her face as she had run up to him, nearly knocking them both down as she wrapped her arms his neck.

“It’s good to see you.” Geralt had said once his arms were around her small frame. Ciri had agreed and then pulled away, then turned her head to take in the features of the place he now called “home”.

“This place… it’s amazing,” she had said in a bit of surprise.

“Yeah, it kind of came with the job.”

“I wish all my contracts paid this well. Is there a bath inside? I could really use one.”

“Yeah just ask B.B., he’ll bring one out and heat it up for you. And my room’s yours … and Yen’s, I have a bigger bed, I’ll take the one upstairs.”

“B.B? Is he inside? Oh, but are you sure? I wouldn’t mind sleeping on a long chair or even outside for that matter.”

The witcher had shaken his head, even Ciri had known that he would never let do that, even if now she had been his equal in a way. There was no point in arguing with him because like Yennefer, he was also stubborn. She had sighed in defeat just as sorceress’s footsteps had grown closer.

They had greeted each other not with smiles or warm “hello’s” but with a drawn-out embrace. For a moment she could feel it, a certain magnetism between them, their magic. And just as soon as she had thought of it, it was gone, and the two pulled away from each other. Their faces had held a matching tenderness before Yennefer had asked if what she heard was correct.

“Your bed? Don’t be silly, I’m sure we could figure something out.”

“I do have a couple of couches lying around, but they’re not even twice as comfortable as any of the beds inside, and the bed upstairs is only meant for one person.”

The three stood in silence, Ciri had shifted from one foot to the next uncomfortably, Geralt stayed quiet letting his eyes pass over the two before they met the ground, and Yennefer had been trying to figure out a better solution but came up with nothing. Ciri had guessed that either Yennefer, although being a powerful mage, hadn’t wanted to or couldn’t pull off the magic necessary for that kind of teleportation or she really didn’t mind sleeping in the Witcher’s bed.

“I suppose one night wouldn’t hurt. Tomorrow we’ll search for a bed that we can have brought in.” Yennefer had brushed the loose ashen strands from the girl’s face and with the other had given her the saddle from the horse she was on moments ago. “Now go bathe, I can almost smell every beast you’ve bested since Ban Ard.”

“Alright, I’ll leave you two alone then.” Ciri had turned to Geralt, smiled once more, then headed inside. The house had seemed to be larger than what appeared on the outside, which made her wonder on who exactly built it. The dining hall wasn’t particularly large nor was it too small, it was just the right size and decorated what she believed to be how every person in Beauclaire designed their home. The next thing that had caught her attention had been the sets of armors and swords all lined around the dining room. She was impressed.

In the far side corner, however, she had noticed that one of the armors hadn't been a set at all but rather a man, who was examining her or perhaps waiting on her. She had made her way over, examining him in her own way. “B.B. right?”

“Ah Barnabas-Basil Foulty, but yes, the master witcher calls me B.B. I managed to hear part of your conversation and a bath is being prepared upstairs.”

“You were eavesdropping?”

“Listening is part of the job, especially since this is now your home I will have to start listening to you as well.”

This had brought a smile on the young woman’s face. She had thanked the majordomo, then headed upstairs to see the bed that Geralt had mentioned. In the center of the room, there had a been a bronzed bathtub that was just large enough for a woman to use and steam that had reached the ceiling. Ciri had decided that by the time she bathed, was in a cleaner set of clothes and had brushed her hair, that both Yennefer and Geralt would be sharing a glass of wine. She had hoped that it would somehow bring them together, while she bathed she could hear the two from the small window in the room, she could hear them, their words were mostly perceivable.

“So… Yen how are you?” Geralt had asked slowly, awkwardly. Ciri could tell Yennefer had thought about the question as if the sorceress had been wondering if she should answer or not.

“Hm, well ever since I joined Ciri I’ve become quite anxious about her well-being, I’ve lost a lot of sleep over her, more so than when well… you know. Honestly, she takes after you when it comes to her recklessness.” Yennefer had somewhat avoided his question. Ciri could tell that Geralt hadn’t minded or if he did he said nothing. “What about you? How goes your retirement?”

“Not really retirement if I keep looking for monsters. But it’s been quite boring here in Toussaint, nothing to do but go around the gardens or drink wine until the sun goes down.”

“My what tough life you have now.” Yennefer had teased and turned to face the grounds of the estate, she had been admiring the view. “And… what about women? I’m sure there are plenty of them to go around, especially in Beauclair.”

“Oh yeah there’s that. But honestly, I don’t really sleep around nowadays.”

“Is that so.” Ciri could practically see the woman’s smile, even if it wasn’t visible to her. “Are all of them not to your liking. Perhaps it's your old age, or perhaps you prefer sorceresses.”

“What about you? Have you found anyone?” Geralt had been the one to redirect the question with something other than himself. Ciri remembered hearing from Dandelion once how Yennefer had only one lover beside Geralt. He had been a mage, who she had stopped seeing for some time. She never understood why Yennefer, long after she and Geralt had been on the mountains of Skellige, did not seek him out, nor did she have any desire to do so. Deep down she had always felt that the sorceress and the witcher had belonged to each other, people like Triss and Istredd had no right to call the two ‘their own’ not when they loved each other so.

“No, after Cirilla left you she had contacted me. And we’ve been together ever since. I suppose she needed me the same reason you did all those years ago.”

“You weren’t much of a healer back then, Mother Nenneke said so herself.”

“Yes well, I’ve improved since then. A sorceress such as myself can learn a lot in twenty years.” Geralt had nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, you’re right. Do you wanna see the garden, I’m sure Ciri will join us later.” He offered.

“You’re not going to try to whisk me away and run off in the setting sun are you?”

“No. Sorry if would that ruins your womanhood fantasies.” Geralt had teased, and it was the first time Yennefer had truly laughed in his presence.

“Lead the way then witcher.” the sorceress had followed the white-haired man and their way over to the gardens on the side of the estate.

Ciri’s heart had skipped a beat. She had started to believe that her plan to bring them together again would work and that they would be happy here. She had quickly finished getting dressed and had made her way down to the first level of the home. Barnabas-Basil had been waiting for her once she had descended and bowed his head out of courtesy to the daughter of the man he worked for.

“Miss Cirilla if you’re hungry I’m sure I can ask Marlene if she could fix you up something.”

“Perhaps later, there’s something I must see to first.” The majordomo had nodded and the girl had rushed past him, and the too long dinner table, then out the front door. The two had already made their way past the bridge, and Ciri being trained as a witcher knew it was best if she had stayed behind them in secret. She had followed them as they entered the garden, staying perched behind a tree as she peeked her head slightly as Geralt had started speaking.

“Recently I’ve been having these dreams, the kind that doesn’t go away easily.”

“Oh? What were these dreams about?” Yennefer asked, shifting from one foot to the other.

“About your last wish and about what I said to you.”

They had said nothing after that, nor did they meet each other's gaze. That was until Geralt had asked the sorceress not to read his mind and that he wanted to tell her all of what he wanted to say. The sorceress had agreed and then waited for the man next to her to speak. It took him a while, they both had known why.

“Back on that mountain top when we fought the djinn, back when-”

“Geralt spare me the details, I remember all too well what happened.” The witcher had sighed but understood and continued.

“We had been together for so long, you and I, and you said so yourself I couldn’t really have known for sure if our emotions were really ours. I wanted to see if some time apart would change that if anything really would change. But it hasn’t, I haven’t stopped-”

“Geralt we have spent twenty years together and not once did either of us think about the wish you made, this thing we had between us. The only reason I questioned it then was because I known what you and Triss had done, it wasn’t something I could simply not ignore. We were only apart for two years and you decided that you needed someone to warm your sheets during the cold winter? And I swear if you bring up losing your memory one more time I will set this garden up in flames.”

The witcher stayed quiet, this had caused Ciri to peek her head from the tree, and take a quick look at what they were doing. Yennefer had her arms crossed and was eyeing the tall green plants in front of her. Geralt was faced to her back, his head down in what shame, guilt, Ciri couldn’t tell. But he had an unusual look on face, one she had recognized as from all those years ago. _Is she reading his mind this time? I wonder what he’s telling her or showing her_.

Yennefer had turned in a way that made the girl believe she was going to be seen, yet she didn’t move, if she was to be caught then so be it, she didn’t think the conversation was going to get any better. Instead, her lilac eyes had traced the rose bush that had grown to where it encircled the pillars that separated them from the path that led to the house. As the young witcher had taken a closer look, she could swear she could see a tear running down along the raven-haired sorceress’ cheek.

“I suppose it’s both our faults. You should’ve told the truth for one, it was foolish of you to think that even after everything that I still wouldn’t love you,” her voice had risen just slightly, then she had taken a breath and continued. “And I suppose I should’ve known that we were something much more than just a wish, especially one that had been made in our youth.” Geralt didn’t question her words and Ciri didn’t either, the witcheress had known how her mother had suffered throughout these past four years, even though she said nothing that would indicate that she had been.

“Does this mean you’ve missed me too?” He asked, his golden eyes looked up to meet her dark curls.

“Of course you old fool, how could I not?” she replied in an annoyed but soft tone.

The raven-haired sorceress, who had smelled of lilac and gooseberries had turned to face the witcher, her hands reaching out to him, to which he had grasped them and brought them both to each side of his face, letting his forehead rest against hers. Whether he had brought his face down or she had done so with her hands didn’t matter, because the moment after their lips had met for the first time in years. The young ashen-haired girl knew this is how it was meant to be, Geralt of Rivia and Yennefer of Vengerberg, forever in each other's embrace.

Ciri had sighed with a smile spread along her face, she stayed for only a few seconds more, admiring that she had brought her parents together for a third time. Maybe I should take this on as my second job, she thought as she made her way back to the house, the home which she knew they would all share soon enough. Despite what Geralt had said about where she would sleep, she had decided it was best to let them have the much bigger bed. Clearly, they had a lot of catching up to do.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoy the finale to the Family of Destiny series. Sorry, I'm posting this so late, I had to make a few last minute changes, but I hope you guys like the story all the same. Also, hope everyone has a good Spring Break. 
> 
> Translation for Yen's spell: be whole once more bones that are broken, heal to be whole. (it made sense at the time,)


End file.
